Albon Y. "Buddy" Woods,III

December 28, 1946 - September 13, 2013

A.Y. "Buddy" Woods III, 66, of Athens, passed away on Friday, September 13, 2013. A native of Athens, GA, Buddy was the son of the late A.Y. Woods, Jr. and Elizabeth Warren Woods. Survivors include a brother, David Warren Woods Sr., his wife, Kim, and children Matthew and Haley Parr, of Athens; a nephew, "Chip" Woods, and his wife, Beth, of Athens, GA.; and a niece, Lori Woods White, her husband, Nick, and children Annie and Claire of Bonaire, GA.

Buddy's childhood was spent in Athens, where he attended Athens High School. After graduation, he attended the University of Georgia and earned a bachelor's degree in Education in 1969. He enlisted in the Army in 1970. Before deployment, he taught a semester in Waycross, GA. While in the Army, he worked as a Cryptologic Traffic Analyst. He was also chosen as one of the few that worked as an intelligence gatherer for the N.S.A. He was awarded many medals during his service. During this time, he primarily lived in Vietnam, Thailand and Japan and he traveled all throughout Europe. He was also stationed in Colorado Springs and at military bases in Texas. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1978 and returned to Athens, GA. to further pursue his education at the University of Georgia.

Buddy taught middle school math in Social Circle from 1981 until 1983. He became a full time teacher at Clarke Central High School in 1984. Affectionately known by many of his students as "Uncle Buddy", he loved his career as the graphic arts teacher. His duties and responsibilities included teaching students about photography, computers, desktop publishing, everything, in short, from layout to production to actual printing. By 1990, he had transformed a small building that once housed R.O.T.C. personnel into a state of the art publishing house. In 1991, he assumed responsibility for the school yearbook. For eleven years, until his retirement in 2002, he and his staff produced a yearbook any high school would admire. His students knew Buddy to be a taskmaster and a perfectionist. But they knew, also, that behind his desire to produce a quality product was a large and loving heart.

Buddy will be remembered for the treasure chest of wonderful stories he generously shared with those who knew him best, and he will be sorely missed by his family and a close circle of friends.

A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 18 at the Woods Family Cemetery(950 Danielsville Road; Pine Hollow) with Dr. John Kipp, Parish Associate, officiating.